Let it go…

I struggle to explain Prathyahatra - the least known limb in ashtanga yoga- in my yoga classes. “It’s a bridge between what we bring to the yoga practice (asana) and what we get out of it (meditation), it’s the withdrawal of the senses into the mind like a turtle withdraw the limbs into the shell, it’s the withdrawal from sensations and associations which could be excruciating in the beginning”, I say. Let those pass you, let it part with you, a brighter side awaits you.

“The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I've tried” (“Let it go”, from Disney’s Frozen) I never thought a Disney song would become handy to teach the philosophy of Prathyahara.

My long time mentor and boss left the corporation recently. Having worked with despots to control-freaks, it was a loss for me. I met him recently over the counter in a bar. When asked for the last piece of advice, he said, “It is hard to let things go especially when you’re at the helm. It is one of the hardest decision we may make. Train yourself for that”. Changes are permanent, embrace it, he added. Losses are excruciating; preparing for that is art, science, psychology and medicine. We may face those situations at work, in friendships and relationships.

I am ready; let it go; let all storms pass through; don’t let it paralyze you; it will make you stronger (“What doesn’t kills you makes you stronger”, Friedrich Nietzsche.) Sometimes, it’s a strength to surrender and let that go.

Love,

Jay

(“Contentment is not the fulfilment of what you want, it’s the realization of how much you already have”, unknown)